I Shot the Sheriff
by kr3ativ23
Summary: Sqweegel is back, and set his sights on Nick. What is his secret? Why won't he tell the team? Can the team help save a stubborn Nick or will Sqweegel add another body to his list. Is there still corruption in the LVPD, who will help and who will hinder? "Knowing the deep, dark secrets of your co-workers is a slippery slope" - Nick Stokes
1. Rough Starts

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review!

Ch1: Rough Starts

* * *

He tosses and turns something fierce as his deep slumbered body can't seem to get comfortable. By the third roll his subconscious is please as sleep will resume. Then he feels his dog climb onto his bed and lay on his chest, he tries to wiggle an arm free to push his dog off of him, but can't.

At first he thinks nothing of it until he can't free either of them his eyes flutter open as he takes a deep breath, he eyes open wide in shock realizing that it wasn't his dog. He tries to scream seeing a man in all black sitting on his chest and seeing the reflection of the moon on the blade that this person was holding. Before he could even react the person starts swiping, slicing, slashing, and cutting him with the blade, he screams in pain as he tries to free his arms bucking and flailing all while trying to avoid the smooth blade from cutting into his chest and shoulders but failing.

Once his arms were finally free he tried to reach out for the person sitting on his chest and attacking him but his own blood had blinded him. Now with his arms taking the brunt of the attack and whatever was on his chest making strange noises. As blood sprayed, squirted, and covered everything in his room. His lamped, his bed, and his walls covered like something a horror movie scene. He tries to grab the attacker but the man's slippery, and his arms are numb from the pain.

The attack slowed as he heard the person cry out in pain and then he heard his dog barking. He reached up and grabbed the person by the neck and shoved them off of him and his bed. He rolls off his bed grabbing his service weapon from his end table pointing it in the direction he saw the person go as his dog barked loud and angry. The pain had started to set in as he felt the warm fluid drip down his arms and chest, as it dripped onto his legs and bare feet. He sees his dog at the window as he slides down the wall still aiming the weapon fearing the attacker could come back as the room continued to spin. He started to feel dizzy and lightheaded as his hands shook with fear as he still held the gun up trying to fight the spinning room. He gets his belongings, calls for his dog and leaves, looking for safety.

* * *

Greg and Sara walked in the lab together debating the creation of zombies. Greg was convinced that the zombie apolcapyse was upon us soon, so Greg took it upon himself to start preparing. Sara thought that Greg was crazy for preparing something that would never happen.

"Hey Nick, what happened to your lip?" Sara chuckled seeing Nick walking towards them paying almost all his attention on his phone. Nick looked up and smiled but it wasn't one of his us smiles.

"Hey guys. I was trying to take to trash out and Sam ran out in front of me and… needless to say I face planted on my stairs…" Nick said stopping, chuckling. Now that Sara could really see him, she thought that he looked terrible like he was coming down with something, but his lip was also split.

"I didn't know they made heroes work?" Greg teased. Nick smiled and shook his head as he continued on his way.

"What?"

"You didn't hear what happened? We are in the presence of a modern day hero." Greg teased Sara playfully pushed him.

"What happened?"

_Nick was going through a Dumpster searching for evidence in an assault case, the victim's wallet was still missing. This whole case didn't make sense to Nick, the supposed attack happened in broad daylight and it was in an upscale neighborhood but usually cases in Vegas didn't make any sense. Nick hopped out striking out again._

"_Nothing?" Morgan asked, Nick just shook his head. He hated going through dumpsters because even if you showered you still smelt the garbage._

"_Nothing…" Nick sighed taking off his gloves to wipe the sweat forming at his forehead._

"_Well, where do you…" Morgan started to say but was interrupted by a blood curdling scream. Their heads, including Officer Mitch's snap towards the noise. Nick looks through the little cracks of the fence and sees a small body floating in the neighbor's pool. "Nick?!" Morgan yells as Nick jumps and pulls himself over the fence without hesitation. Nick falls on his chest and in any other scenario that probably would have knocked the wind out of him but he frantically crawls to his feet and dives in the pools moments before the child's mother does. _

_Morgan and Mitch run around and run to the pool just as Nick resurfaces with the child. He swims to the shallow end of the pool the mother following him. Nick's boots filled with water and his coveralls weighing him down and his leather gloves ruined. Nick lays the child down and starts CPR, Mitch holds the mother back to give Nick room to work and Morgan calls for an ambulance. Everything seemed so surreal. It was all happening so quick that it was hard to wrap around._

"_What do you need me to do?" Morgan asked as Nick continued chest compressions this was his third round of compressions, on the small boy as the mom sobbed in the background._

"_Breaths." Nick said flatly almost stoic. Morgan and Nick continued to work in sync waiting for an ambulance or something to come. The mother's sobs only fueling them making them want to save this young boy's life that couldn't be older than eight._

"_Come on." Morgan said slightly shaking the boy's face. She gave two more breaths. They had been doing CPR for at about three minutes but felt like three years, but just when they feel muscle fatigue coming the boy starts to cough. They turn him on his side as he starts to open his eyes. Nick pats the boys back smiling looking at Morgan and then the mother. The woman lunges at Nick hugging him._

"_Oh my god, thank you!" the mother cries before holding her son close as he continued to cough. Nick and Morgan look at each other feeling the adrenaline and muscle soreness._

"_Good work." Officer Mitch said patting their backs._

"Have you seen the sheriff around?" Nick asks Ecklie seeing him in the bull pen.

"No, she has meetings all day and so do I, but why? What's up?" Ecklie asks, usually Ecklie or the sheriff were looking for the CSIs not the other way around, and trying to find the CSIs was like pulling teeth.

"Oh… no its nothing." Nick says waving it off, trying to walk away.

"Good work yesterday." Ecklie said patting Nick on the arm. Nick smiles but it almost looks like a slight grimace, but masked as a nervous awkward smile.

"I had help." Nick said still smiling.

"You dove into the water…" Ecklie said as Nick just tried to down play his involvement. "Hey, either way good work. You don't look so good, do you feel alright?"

""yeah, I think I'm just coming down with something, but I'll be alright." Nick chuckled leaving as he gets a text with crime scene information.

Nick heads to the crime scene with Morgan. Nick soon realized that he really didn't feel well; he knew he was sweating but he felt cool almost cold. He started to feel really nausea but he hadn't eaten anything today because he was nauseas earlier but it has gotten worst. He made up some excuse to go back to the lab hoping that just the cool air conditioned air would make him feel better.

Nick rinses his face with cool water hoping that it too would help. Mind over matter, he could do this, he told himself. He just felt crappy, maybe he should go and rest, but just then he hears the door open and DB walks in the bathroom to wash his hands.

"Hey, you alright?" DB asked him looking as Nick faked a smile.

"Yeah, I gotta stay away from the 99 cent steak and eggs." He chuckled releasing a deep breath.

"Morgan is waiting for you outside. She says that Mandy has your results." DB said Nick took a paper towel drying his face.

"Okay." Nick says continuing to dry his face.

"Good work yesterday both of you. I didn't have a chance to tell you yesterday. You did well, not a lot of people would have reacted the way you did." DB said Nick just smiled.

"Thanks." Nick says leaving the bathroom meeting Morgan outside. Morgan starts telling him about what she's gathered so far but Nick isn't listening just trying to stay focus, as the ground starts to fail under his feet. Nick feels like he's walking on a floating dock struggling to keep his balance. When they walk into Mandy's lab, Mandy pretended to start bowing.

"I'm in the presence of the heroes of Sin City." Mandy teased, Nick grabbed the newspaper off of her computer. There was a photo of Nick and Morgan in there coveralls talking with the paramedics and the title read Heroes of Sin City. Nick shook his head tossing the paper aside.

"Results, Webster?" Nick teased back smiling.

"Well…" she started to explain the results as Nick read her report. Before Nick knew any better the words were unreadable and the room was spinning a lot faster than it was before.

"Nick?" Morgan asked hearing Nick breath funny. Nick started to hear their warped voices and he looked at them but couldn't figure out what to say or do.

"I… I…" Nick stuttered. Mandy put her hands on Nick's shoulders as he started to sway back and forth. Nick drops the report as his eyes roll back.

"Nick?!" Mandy says trying to catch Nick ended up being brought down by him and being stuck under him. Nick's body went limp. Mandy pushes him off as Morgan rolls him over so he is facing up. "Morgan, go get DB." Mandy says to Morgan. Morgan runs out of the lab and Mandy picks up Nick's head dabbing the sweat away from his forehead while begging for him to wake.

"What happened?" DB asked as Doc Robbins follows him in. Doc Robbins kneels next to Mandy and touches Nick's forehead, and a confusing look starts to form across his face.

"DB, his pulse is weak and fast. You need to call for some paramedics." Doc Robbins says as Finn starts to call for an ambulance and DB kneels on the opposite and unbuttons Nick's shirt showing a dark thermal shirt. DB sees a damp spot and touches it and sees blood on his finger tips. The entire room's mood changes within seconds of DB's discovery.

"Is that blood?!" Mandy asks anxious still holding Nick's unconscious head.

"Greg, I have some gauze downstairs bring it up. Morgan, hand me those scissors." Doc Robbins ordered. Morgan nervously handed him the scissors as Greg ran off. Doc cut off Nick's shirt seeing bloody gauze and bandages on his chest and shoulders.

"This is from the break room." Sara said handing DB the first aid kit.

"Hold pressure, Mandy. He's going into shock. DB, find something to put under his feet… Sorry, Nick." Doc says cutting into Nick's sleeve of his shirt finding more bloody gauze. "Oh my god… Where's the medics?!" Doc shouted.

* * *

What is going on at the lab? What do you think? This isn't going to be a happy and cheery story, plenty of drama and questioning of eachother from the team. Are some secrets with saving? Please Review!


	2. Fright and Terrors

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review!

Ch2: Fright and Terrors

* * *

The nurse peels back Nick's gown so that Finn could take photos of Nick's wounds. The nurse moves Nick's nasal cannula tubing so it wasn't in the photos, the nurse looks away taking in all of Nick's injuries as he lay unconscious. Finn slowly raised the camera taking some photos, Finn knew about the cuts but Nick was covered in bruises on his chest and abdomen. Finn checked his hands and there were a couple scrapes on his right knuckles but she couldn't say for sure if it was from an altercation or not, but the split lip made her mind sway more towards an altercation.

"What happened to him doctor?" DB asked as Sara looked on as shocked and confused as DB.

"Mr. Stokes was in shock. By the time that his blood finally started to clot he had already loss to much blood and his body went into protective mode, a compensating shock if you will, but it was too late his body was to weak. It's good that you brought him in when you did, he wouldn't have lasted another couple hours..." The doctor says, checking his beeper. "But he's receiving the blood transfusion well, and all his cuts are sutured up. He should be awake soon."

"Thank you, doctor." DB said shaking the man's hand. The doctor then nodded before continuing his rounds. DB looked at Sara as her mind was still in shock and she couldn't wrap her mind around it. "Sara… are you alright?" DB asked, Sara slowly blink as if climbing back in her skin. She felt a rush of tears threatening to explode from her eyes.

"Guys… he's waking up." They heard Finn call out. They both entered his room seeing him ever so slowly start to stir. DB and Sara were immediately taken back by seeing Nick's wounds and bruises. It was surreal. Nick's chest was red and swollen with cuts in various sizes up and down both arms and across his chest and shoulders with purple bruises on his chest and abdomen.

Nick's skin felt numb but not a pleasant numb. He felt tired beyond belief as he struggled to open his eyes. They felt like hundred pound sandbags, so once they opened a slither open they shut. He fluttered them open again and saw that he wasn't home or at the lab. He heard the beeping of the EKG machine, and when he opened his eyes again and saw DB, Sara, and Finn staring down at him.

Finn finds some trace in the cut on Nick's shoulder and leans a little bit closer readying to take a photo of it before collecting. For some reason she just expected Nick to be still and calm so that everyone could do there and find out what happened to him. She was wrong.

Once Nick saw the flash of her camera, he flailed his arms up hitting the camera out of Finn's grasps. The camera flies out of her hand hitting the wall before falling on the ground and breaking.

"What's going on?! Leave me alone!" Nick shouted sitting up in a hurry startling everyone, causing them to jump back. Nick continued to shout for them to leave him alone.

"Nurse!" Finn shouted, Nick ripped off the nasal canula he turned and looked at his IV.

"No, Nick." DB said trying to grab Nick's hand before he ripped out his IV but was too late. Once the IV was out Nick hopped off the gurney and stumbled on his feet due to his shaky legs and spinning head.

"Nick…" Sara said reaching out for him but he pulled away hitting his back on the wall so he stayed on his feet.

"Leave me alone!" Nick shouted, they couldn't tell if he was delirious or completely fear stricken or if it was a mixture. The doctor and nurses quickly rushed and pulled the team out as they tried to calm Nick down.

"Mr. Stokes, we are going to give you something to calm you down." The doctor said as Nick continued to struggle against them.

"Get off of me!" Nick yelled but was really too weak to fight back and the doctor was nervous that Nick was going to pop a suture and then they would be in real trouble. The doctor prepared a spot and gave Nick a shot as the nurse continued to try and calm him.

The team watched as the doctor and nurses struggled with Nick, and then as his face softened as they gave him the medicine. The vein in Nick's neck was no longer sticking out and Nick's eyelids grew heavy once again as he rested his head on the cool floor. He eased his grip on the nurses' scrubs. Nick's mind had finally stopped racing and he realized where he was, he still felt very anxious he just couldn't act on those feelings. He saw his friends looking on as the others arrived.

"How do you feel, Mr. Stokes?" the nurse asked seeing Nick trying to fight the medicine. Nick whispered something to the nurse and the nurse looked at the doctor as he pulled the curtain close.

"What the hell just happened?" Greg asked angry.

"Nick… he just freaked out…" Sara said putting a hand on Greg's shoulder trying to calm him.

"Someone beat the hell out of him. I found bruises all over him and a couple defensive wounds." Finn said holding what was left of her camera.

"Nick said he fell and split his lip… and said he face planted." Sara said replaying the conversation in her head.

"Greg, you said that there was a similarity to…" DB said but was interrupted by Greg.

"About a year and some months ago we had a serial killer that killed a couple people and slid away off the radar until he attacked Nick." Greg said pointing to Nick's room.

"Greg, we don't know if it's the same person." DB argued trying to keep an unbiased mind.

"It is… the MO is the same." Sara added. "Sqweegel, chose his victims after they shined in the spotlight or became a _hero_ but they had something going on in their private life."

"His first kill that we know of was a church woman I think she was cheating on her husband. An upstanding person of society with a dirty secret. But before he did that he attacked one of Vegas' elite women, she was a big philanthropist but it turned up that she had killed her terminally ill son." Greg continued.

"The last was a firefighter paramedic that had rescued all of these children from a fire. It turned out that he was an arsonist and started that fire." Sara added. "He stalks them and usually strikes weeks after their good deed. I think Sqweegel was already stalking him almost waiting for Nick to do something."

"It's Nigel…" Greg said looking at Sara. "Nigel Crane stalked Nick years ago, watched him through his ceiling."

"There's only one problem with that theory. Nigel Crane is still in prison… What could Nick have to upset this _Sqweegel_?" DB said.

"Who cares? We need to figure out who Sqweegel is before he tries to kill Nick again?!" Greg said excited.

"I read the case file, Greg. If we are going to really save Nick we have to find out what is going with him because I doubt he's going to tell us. So, why don't you and Finn go to Nick's house, and Morgan why don't you go through Nick's car and see if there's anything you can find."

"I'll stay here, maybe he will want to talk when he wakes up." Sara said not so convinced by her own words.

* * *

Morgan returned to the lab and headed to the parking garage. She unlocks Nick's truck using his keys that DB had given her. She chuckled to herself seeing the Lone star pennant on his keychain. She opens the door and sees that the driver seat is still damped with blood and looks in the foot space of the passenger seat. She finds a several boxes of various medical supplies, rolls of tapes, more bloody gauze, and some Neosporin. Morgan takes photographs of everything and then swaps the various blood stains. After processing the driver seat she then moved to the passenger seat and fair a lot of dog hair and dog slobber. She assumed that this was Sam's seat, and smiled a little to herself briefly imagining Nick and Sam driving around together. While putting away the one swab she catches a glimpse of the seatbelt and sees that there is a long black hair tangled inside. Morgan makes a puzzled face before securing the hair.

"What's this?" she said to herself seeing something shoved under the passenger seat. She reached and pulled out a pair of bloody pajama pants.

* * *

DB lays out Nick's belongings including his blood stained clothes. He moves to Nick's cell phone saving Nick's bloody clothes for Finn. The cell phones that they all carried had a professional line and then a personal or private line. The professional line was clear nothing was out of the ordinary, just case info text messages and messages from the lab rats saying that they had some results for him. However when DB went to see the private line he couldn't get the phone to switch over.

_Enter Pass code. _The phone read, DB looked puzzled at Nick's phone. He tried a couple codes and then the phone locked him out so then DB did what he should have in the first place he thought.

"Archie, I need your help." DB said handing Archie Nick's phone.

"This is Nick's phone?" Archie asked confused everyone had heard what happened. DB nodded. "Is this going to help him?" Archie asked hesitant to open up Nick's phone.

"It will." DB said confidently. DB thought why Nick would have a pass code on his phone if there wasn't anything he had to hide.

"How is he doing?" Archie asked hooking up his phone to the computer.

"Sara texted me a little while ago… he's still asleep." DB said as Archie worked on the computer. After a couple faces of confusion and several blocked screens.

"Nick has a very good security program on his. His inbox is empty and I'm having trouble opening the recycle bin." Archie said still working.

"What about his recent calls?" DB asked, Archie brought up the recent calls.

"That's strange." Archie said just as confused as DB.

"Why's Nick calling the sheriff from his private line?" DB asked.

* * *

After Nick's house was deemed cleared Greg and Finn entered. If this crime scene looked like the others Finn was going to be to paint a picture then Sqweegel. Once they entered his house they found a blood trail and followed it back to his room which looked like a massacre. Blood everywhere, sheets, ceiling, walls, his bedside table, and lamp. There was two concentration of blood one large one on the bed obvious that's where the attack took place and another smaller one in the corner where they thought Nick must have stumbled to after the attack.

"Oh my god." Greg said trying to take in the entire room. Finn started to take some photos of overall room, she went to the window and saw some blood on the window frame with the some scratches.

"I have some blood over here, it doesn't look like it belongs with everything." Finn said swabbing the blood.

"Those scratches are probably from Sam, maybe Sam got a piece of him." Greg said. Greg and Finn begin to search and process everything in the room. The hairs on his bed, most of them were Nick's and the others were Sam's. There was some trace but nothing that they initially thought was a smoking gun.

"I think I just found some insulation here." Finn said finding some pink insulation by Nick's bedside.

"He was probably watching Nick from his attic." Greg said looking up at the ceiling looking for any holes.

"There's a void on the bed sheet. This guy must have just sat on Nick and attacked him." Finn said pointing out the void to Greg.

"Fits the MO." Greg added.

"We have to find out what happened in this room. You think Nick is going to talk?" Finn asked looking up Greg.

"Nick knows what this guy can do, he will talk." Greg said confidently but in his subconscious he knew that this may be difficult.

* * *

Do you think Nick will be honest and tell the team or hide and deny everything? Is there any secrets that you have hidden from your friends or family because you thought you'd die of embarrassment? Maybe that's how Nick feels? What do you think? I'll Probably update next week sometime, Please Review!


	3. Happy Accidents?

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review! Thank you for all the reviews!

Ch3: Happy Accidents?

* * *

"No!" Nick repeated over and over as Sara tried to talk to him. Nick tried to fight against the restraints that the nurses had used. Every time Nick became a little consciousness, he would try and get away. Luckily for them he was too weak to get off the gurney.

"Nick, you need to talk to me." Sara said to him as he turned his head the other way. Nick felt some of his strength come back but still felt incredibly weak.

"Please, have them take these off…" Nick said the tiredness carried in his body showed in his voice but he sounded emotionally tired. He looked up at Sara with his soft chocolate eyes, she could see the fear in his eyes.

"If you tell me what happened, I'll have them take them off." Sara said looking down at him. Nick was famous for shutting down when he didn't want to talk about something.

"I…" Nick stuttered, struggling against the restraints before giving up. Nick looked up at Sara knowing she wouldn't budge. He released a deep sigh. "When I got home from work, I took Sam out for a walk…" Nick said taking a deep breath, trying to fight through his pain. "I took a shower and fell asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and… and he… he was on top of me. He had my arms pinned and he was cutting me. I was able to push him away and I think Sam got a piece of him, and we left… Can you have them take these off now? Please…" Nick begged, he was tired and scared and just wanted to leave.

"Why is he after you?" Sara asked, Nick just clinched his jaw shut and looked away.

"Please, Sara... I can't tell you…" Nick said as Sara motioned for the nurse to release Nick.

"Can't, or won't?" Sara asked as the nurse took off the restraints.

"Thank you, I'm sorry if I was a pain." Nick said to the nurse as he sat up fighting his dizziness. "I'm going to need the AMA form." Nick said hanging his head down ashamed.

"Nick?" Sara said as Nick ran his fingers through his hair.

"Sara, I have nothing else to say, I gotta go. I need fresh air." Nick said quietly. She could see that he was battling with a brewing anxiety attack. The nurse came and began explaining the form as Nick avoided making eye contact. Nick signed the form as another removed his IV. Nick swallowed hard. Once the nurses left, Sara started again, Nick hopped off the gurney and moved to wash his hands and rinse his face.

"What does this have to do with the sheriff?" Sara asked, Nick stopped briefly but continued, avoiding her gaze in the mirror.

"Where are my clothes?" Nick asked drying off his hands on his pants realizing that his jeans had been replaced with a pair of scrubs.

"They're evidence." Sara said, Nick shook his head holding himself up by the sink. Nick looked up catching Sara's gaze before quickly looking back down. Nick scratched the back of his head. "Please, Nick. What is going on?" Sara said and Nick just walked away but Sara was able to catch him at the elevator. Luckily they were the only ones inside.

"I can't tell you! Don't you understand?! He's doing this on purpose!" Nick shouted startling Sara.

"Why? What does this have to do with the sheriff?!" Sara shouted back at him.

"Nothing…" Nick said looking away. "I'm done talking about this…" Nick said his voice obviously fear stricken. Nick finally made eye contact with Sara and she could see the fear written all over his face, and almost begging her to not to question him anymore.

"Okay…" Sara said, knowing that in order to keep her friend safe she couldn't push him away. Sara needed to bring Nick to the lab so that at least he could be looked after. "I think you have an extra set of clothes in your locker." Nick opened his mouth to disagree but the only alternative was to go home and that wasn't doable.

* * *

"Nick is lucky. His bedroom was a bloodbath. The attacker sat on top of him and started slashing. He could have easily killed Nick, if he wanted to." Finn said handing DB her report.

"What about the blood you found on the windowsill?" DB asked giving the report a quick glance.

"Nick's… but Hodges found small latex particles in it so it must be transfer." Finn said. "I checked Nick's security system hasn't been tripped, none of them windows have been opened except for the one we know Sqweegel left but I can't find the point of entry. Nick's windows all lock from the inside, and I doubt Nick let him in."

"Okay, but what about the _invisible people_?" DB asked, the _invisible people _were repairmen, plumbers, and people who you'd let into your home without giving them a second thought.

"I doubt it, I checked Nick's planner and he had nothing written down. It doesn't look like anyone has been in his house in months. His house was clean but it doesn't look like anyone has been there besides him and Sam."

"Where is Sam?" DB said stopping in his stride.

"I don't know… we looked around the house and didn't find him… but he hasn't been gone for long. We haven't checked the attic, yet, though." Finn said putting her hands on her hips.

"Why not?" DB asked slightly agitated and confused.

"We can't find the door. We have searched everywhere. We found where the old one was but Nick must have sealed it shut because it's covered and won't open. Greg and Morgan are working on it."

"Greg said that the initial attack usually occurs a couple days after the heroic event but Nick's was the same night. I think the attacker was already watching him." DB said making a face.

"So when should we expect the second attack?" Finn asked quietly.

"Hopefully we don't have to expect it…" DB said but he was truly unsure. DB took off his glasses and rubbed his face. "Sara is on her way here with Nick. She says he is not really up for talking…"

"A serial killer is after him and he's not up for talking?" Finn said shocked and confused but then remembered the way Nick acted at the hospital.

"She's going to clean him up and I am going to stick him in Catherine's old office and not let him leave." DB said moving to Archie's lab seeing him furiously waving him down.

"Hey, I was finally able to unlock Nick's security program on his phone and besides for the sheriff's number, which is on there a lot, and some work phone calls… I found a number to this place on a strip. When I searched the place online, I found that it is this modern jazz club where they take hip hop hits and cover them as jazz songs. It's quite popular..." Archie said handing him his report and information on the bar, with a grimace on his face.

"How many times did he call her?" DB asks.

"Well, I was only able to open up the calls from the last 48 hours, and Nick called the sheriff about 10 times and called the Jazz club about the same amount of times."

DB attempts to try and take all the information in that he's just been given. Las Vegas Police Department couldn't survive another corruption, not after everything that had just happened and they were still feeling the effects of McKeen's downfall. DB didn't even know if it was corruption but the fact that whatever it was involved Nick and Sheriff Liston wasn't good.

When DB entered his office and saw Ecklie he knew that this was as bad as DB thought it was. After giving Ecklie the initial update, Ecklie felt the same as DB. Ecklie set the report on his lap and rubbed his face.

"What does Stokes say about this?" Ecklie asked looking up at DB, as DB sat down.

"He's very reluctant to talk, and didn't have anything new to add." DB said rubbing his face. "Ecklie, we've been finding some information and we are going to have to talk to the Sheriff. Nick called her after the attack several times." DB said, Ecklie released a deep sigh.

"Nick asked me where the sheriff was at the beginning of shift." Ecklie said remembering the brief conversation. "DB, we have to smart about this. If this becomes some sort of scandal… LVPD won't be able to survive."

"Well, we have to talk to the sheriff to see if this is even a scandal. This could be a total misunderstanding." DB said, Ecklie smiled.

"In this city… I doubt it." Ecklie said sighing...

* * *

What do you think about the sheriff's possible involvement? What do you think is going on? Please Review! What do you think?


	4. Stalemate

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review!

Ch4: Stalemate

* * *

"I don't understand." Sheriff Liston claimed looking at both DB and Ecklie showing her frustration. She didn't understand why they were so convinced that she was involved when she didn't even understand what was going on.

"Nick called you ten times the night of his attack and twice the following morning. Why? Our records showed that you the last call was for thirty two seconds. What did you guys talk about?" DB asked showing the disinterested Sheriff.

"What does he say?" Sheriff asked not looking at the document.

"Sheriff, you know we can't tell you. What did you guys talk about?" Ecklie said flabbergasted at the sheriff's behavior.

"I assure you that it had nothing to do with your case." The sheriff said pushing the records back to DB.

"I think we should be the judge of that." DB said earning a heated glare from the sheriff.

"He called me about getting some time off or something. He was mumbling and I think he was drunk. I congratulated him about his rescue and that was it, CSI Russell." The sheriff said agitated. "Now, if that is all I am late for a meeting with the DA. Please get out of my office. If you come at me again with any of these accusations again you will have to go through the proper channels and my union rep. now get out of my office!" the sheriff said angry.

"Thank you for…" DB said but was interrupted.

"Get out." She said waving them off. DB and Ecklie awkwardly left and headed for the elevator.

"Well, that was…" DB said trailing off confused as ever. DB took off his glasses and rubbed his temples vigorously.

"DB, we have to be quadruple sure before we go back at the sheriff."

"I think she knows more then she is saying…" DB said putting his glasses back on and his hands on his hips.

"I do too… but if we don't do this carefully our heads are going to be on the line." Ecklie said with a stern voice. DB sighed loudly.

"But what about Nick?" DB asks agitated.

"What about every cop, lab tech, and CSI, who is going to be directly affected by… whatever is going on. And who knows this could be nothing?"

"Doubt it…" DB mumbled.

* * *

Greg pulled and pulled with all of his might hoping to finally force the attic door at Nick's house open but so far was unsuccessful. Morgan watched from afar as she finished processing Nick's bathroom. She had found a couple more long black hairs almost hiding in his bathroom.

"Do you want some help?" Morgan asked watching Greg struggle with the door.

"It's stuck on something…" Greg said taking a break his breath. "See that." Greg pointed to the slight discoloration in the ceiling. "That's from the last time Nick had a stalker… did you find anything?"

"Oh, umm… yeah. I found some black hair, and I found the same black hairs I think in his car... but his bed was clean." Morgan said showing him the hair. They hear some barking in the distant coming from outside. "Have you seen Nick's dog?"

"Sam… no, I haven't…" Greg said leaving to go outside, first to the backyard thinking that's where Nick would be but they were wrong so they went to the front porch and saw as Sam ran around Nick's fence and stopped seeing Greg and Morgan. However before they could react they heard a young boy yelling for Sam.

"Sam… stop running away from… me… Mom!" the boy, who couldn't be older than seven, yelled as the boy's mother came around and stood in front of her son.

"What's going on?" the mother, a brunette, asked as Sam lay down on Nick's porch deeply saddened.

"I'm CSI Sanders and this is CSI Brody, we are with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. What is your name?"

"I'm Melinda, and this is my son Trevor. What is going on?" she asked as she brushed her hair out of her face.

"How'd you get this dog, ma'am?" Greg asked stepping off the porch.

"Nick gave it to me last night. Is there something wrong? Is Nick alright?" she asked worried, but was meant by hesitant eyes as they hinted towards her son. "Trev, why don't you play fetch with Sam?" She said kneeling in front of her son.

"I'll try but Sam's just really mopey, mom. Are you guy's friends' with Nick?" Trevor asked Greg and Morgan. They nodded. "That's cool. Nick's a cool guy, he's my friend too. C'mon, Sam" Trevor said moving towards Sam showing him the tennis ball.

"What's going on with Nick?" Melinda asked crossing her arms watching her son briefly as Trevor tried to motivate Sam.

"How do you know Nick?" Morgan asked.

"He's my friend. We both work nights. I'm a nurse at desert palms in the OR. Nick and I have been friends and neighbors for years." She said.

"Nothing more?" Greg asked.

"No, no…" she said with a disappointed smile on her face. "Not that I haven't tried. My son adores him, and he's helped me out a lot in the past. Trevor's father was a bad guy, and Nick helped me get him to stay away."

"Where is your ex now?" Morgan asked thinking that she was on to something.

"Finishing a fifteen year prison sentence in state prison." She said with a relieved smile on her face.

"It wasn't strange for Nick to come over in the middle of the night?" Greg asked.

"Not really, but he did seem a little weird. He gave me a bag of dog food, fifty bucks, and said that he was going to leaving town for a case and needed me to watch Sam for a few days. I said yes, Trevor loves Sam. The only problem is that the dog and I are about the same size and keeps getting away from us." She chuckled nervously.

"What do you mean weird?" Morgan asked, seeing the woman's face go serious again as she thought back.

"He seemed sick or something. He was really tired, panting almost like he couldn't catch his breath a little and sweaty. He seemed weak on his feet, I asked him if he was alright and he said that he thought he was getting sick, but he shrugged it off so, so did I. Besides I have seen him in worst shape." She said getting more concerned. "Is Nick alright?"

"Have you seen anyone over at Nick's recently?" Morgan asked, earning strange glares from both Greg and Melinda. Greg was ready to tell the woman what happened to Nick.

"Yes, if you could call it recent. Nick is rarely ever home, I'd hate to work his hours… any who… maybe a month or two ago, Trevor and his friend were throwing a Frisbee and it went over the fence so I went over to Nick's house to see if he could get it for me."

"And?" Morgan asked trying to understand why the long story.

"A woman answered the door. I think it was his girlfriend."

"Did you catch her name?" Morgan asked.

"No."

"Why do think she was his girlfriend?" Greg asked.

"As a woman, you kinda just know. She was wearing _just_ his shirt and her hair astray, but hey what the heck? Good for him." she chuckled shrugging her shoulders.

"What did the woman look like?" Morgan asked.

"She was younger, mid-twenties or early thirties, I think she had black hair and I think she black or Hispanic… I don't know. I only saw her for a second and it was a while ago. Sorry, now will you please tell me what is going on?" she begged hoping her over share in information would finally make them open out.

"Nick was attacked the night he dropped off Sam to you," Greg said, and Melinda's face fell as she covered her mouth. "He's alright, did you see anything?"

"No, I had pulled a double that night. I had just gotten home when Nick came over." Melinda said genuinely shocked.

"Ew, mommy, Sam is getting sick." Trevor yelled as the dog started sniffing his own vomit. They all moved towards the dog, as Greg put a pair of gloves on seeing something that peaked his interested. Greg knelt down and pulled a piece of black latex from the vomit.

"Thank you for your help, we may in touch. Sam is going to have to come with us." Morgan said to Melinda.

* * *

Nick scans the lab as he gets scolded from DB and Sara. He sees the concerned eyes of his friends and coworkers, but he doesn't know how to make this right. Nick scratches as his neck as he couldn't get comfortable on Catherine's old couch. Nick looks up and sees a worried Mandy looking at him. Quirky Mandy with a frown on her face because of him.

"Sara, can you give us a minute?" DB asked realizing that they weren't getting anywhere. Sara left and DB moved to close the blinds.

"Nick, what is going on?" DB asked sitting next to Nick on the couch. Nick remains silent looking forward rubbing his hands together. "are you sleeping with the sheriff?" DB asked and Nick looked at him with a face full of disgust.

"No…" Nick said confused and disgusted. The sheriff was not his type of woman at all.

"Nick, you know how this Sqweegel works and if we don't find the truth, you know what could happen." DB threatened, but still got nothing from Nick. "What does this have to do with the sheriff? You were looking for her before you passed out?"

"I must've been delirious." Nick said quietly still looking forward.

"What about, when you called her a dozen times?" DB asks but Nick doesn't answer, he just clinched his jaw shut and stare holes through the wall. He stopped rubbing his hands and held his knees. "Well what about this other number? This jazz club, what's so special about it?" DB asked trying to hand Nick the records but he kept shoving them away before Nick finally took them only to throw them as he explosively got to his feet.

"Why are you doing this? I'm a good man." Nick said padding his chest.

"I'm just trying to figure out what is going on." DB said slowly getting to his feet.

"Why don't you stop digging into my private life and find the psycho who is trying to kill me?!" Nick shouted before waving him off. Nick paced around the office and DB left agitated and disappointed.

"How's Nicky?" Brass asked DB as he left the office. DB just shakes his head taking off his glasses.

"You feel like making a trip? Let's go and check out this so called jazz club. I'm tired of not getting the full story. C'mon." DB said taking Brass.

* * *

What do you think is going to happen at the club? The team learned some more about Nick's personal life. Who's word can they trust and who should they be weary of? How'd you feel about the sheriff's confrontational attitude? The next chapter is going to be big, I promise! Please Review!


	5. Roadside Ditch

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review! I wasn't planning on updating so close together but I couldn't help myself because I am excited to what you think. It's going to be a little more fast pace (storyline wise) from now on. Can't wait to hear what you think! Enjoy!

Ch5: Roadside Ditch

* * *

Finn looked at Nick through the window on the office door. He had been pacing around for hours but the exhaustion had finally caught up with him and he fell asleep on the couch that he always found dangerously comfortable. That isn't what had Finn at bay, it was the huge guard dog sleepy on the floor right by Nick. Finn had managed to open the attic and process it, leaving her with more questions and not many answers. Finn slowly opened the door but Sam woke and sat up looking Finn.

"Ami…" Finn stuttered, she remembered that the dog spoke French and tried to remember what she could from high school. Sam looked at her and stood up and his demeanor started too changed. "S'asseoir garcon?" Finn said hoping she told Sam to sit and not to rip her to shreds. Sam sat back down but watched as Finn moved cautiously to Nick, giving Nick's foot a shake and tug. He woke in a similar manner as before. He jumps awake startled.

"What's… what's going… on?" Nick panted as he tried regaining his bearings. The room was spinning and he was seeing stars from waking up in such a fright. After several minutes Nick was able to calm down. "What's up, Finn?" Nick asked looking up at her. Finn sat down next to him.

"Nick, when was the last time you were in your attic?" Finn asked holding her files on her lap.

"It's been a while. I had a bad incident years back and boarded it up and I haven't been inside since… Why?" Nick asked sitting up straight.

"Well, I found newspapers. They all have at least a picture of you in it, dating back awhile now. But then, I found this." Finn said showing Nick an old newsletter with _Crimestopper _in big letters at the top. The flyer looked weathered and old showing its true years.

"I knew!" Nick said enraged standing. Everyone in the entire lab heard him and looked on. Morgan who was passing on the outside came to a slow stroll before stopping. "You found this in my attic!"

"Yes, Nick. What does it mean?" Finn said startled by Nick as he paced around the office.

"What does it mean?! What does it mean?!" Nick shouted staring at the flyer as all the memories came and hit him like a tidal wave. "I'll show you." Nick said rather calm leaving the office with Sam in tow. Nick pushed past Morgan, and at first Finn thought that Nick was going to one of the labs but he made a b-line for the elevator.

"Nick?" Finn taking off following him, bringing Morgan with her. "Nick, stop. Where are we going?" Finn said finally catching him in the elevator. Everyone watched as they left.

"To see Nigel." Nick said with the most determined look ever on his face.

* * *

DB and Brass arrive at the club and find various people setting up for the night. Like everything else in Vegas this was made for night. Brass scanned the room as him and DB stopped listening to the young lady singing at stage. Brass thought he recognized the young woman but was unsure.

"You took my heart and you held it in your mouth… And, with the word all my love came rushing out… And, every whisper, it's the worst, Emptied out by a single word… There is a hollow in me now…" the woman sang.

"Brass!" they heard a man yell, and when Brass saw him his face fell.

"Drops…" Brass said unenthused. Drops came up and shook Brass' hand and pulled him into a pseudo-hug. Drops then went to shake DB's hand but DB didn't shake.

"Okay, I respect it." Drops said putting his hands in his pockets.

"What are you doing here, Drops?" Brass asked.

"Whatcha mean, Brass, this is my joint? We taking popular hits from music and given them a jazzy relaxed tune. My girl, Estelle kills it every night. People love it." Drops said quiet proud. "But on a real note, I know why y'all are here." Drops said serious getting both of DB's and Brass' full attention.

"What do you mean?" Brass said agitated.

"Your boy, Crime Lab… Nick." Drops said as if duhing both of them.

"What did you know about Nick?" DB asked angry.

"Easy there, big guy. I'm on your side. Nick is my friend, too." Drops said putting his hands up in surrender.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Brass asked putting a hand on DB's shoulder.

"He was here last night." Drops said motioning for them to follow him to his office.

"Last night?" DB asked.

"Nick use to be a regular here, he use to come like every other day and then stopped until last night. Your boy was tore up last night." Drops says sitting down.

"He was drunk?" DB asked sitting down.

"I ain't no CSI but I'd put my money on it." Drops says folding his hands. DB sighed rubbing his face.

"He wouldn't happen to have gotten these here, did he?" Brass said sliding over pictures to Drops. The photos were the ones that Finn took of Nick's bruises.

"He did, but it didn't go down the way your thinking." Drops defended.

"How about we shut this club down until you start being honest with us?!" DB asked Brass.

"Fellas, I'm on your side. This is what happened." Drops said putting his arms up in surrender. "I didn't see him when he got here. I was talking to the second performer who plays before Estelle, when I heard a commotion coming from Estelle's dressing room. By the time got there, they were all I hate you's."

"_Is everything alright in here?" I asked as your boy pushed pass me right into the hands of the bouncer, Spank. I saw bits of a broken vase on the ground._

"_I freaking hate you!" she yelled still trying to take a piece out of him. I caught and pushed her back in the room. "Take him out of here!" Estelle said upset. Her makeup was ruined, she was a crying mess._

"_Estelle, baby, what's wrong?" I asked, that girl is normally stone cold with her sad emotions and your boy had her weeping._

"_Get out, everyone out!" Estelle said pushing me out. _

_Meanwhile, my boy Spank and Ty brought your guy outside. Spank was angry because Estelle was crying, so he pushed Nick out and started taunting him. Spank got a big belly so he think he intimidated._

"_Get off the property, chump." Spank said as Nick fell in the alleyway. Nick got to his feet and shoved Spank. _

"_Oh, hell no!" Ty yelped hitting Nick in the face, and Spank tried to put some licks in and Nick tackled and punched him right in the eye. Sealed it shut. Ty got threw him off, and Nick tried to crawl away and Ty kicked him._

"_You like that, pretty boy." Ty, said kicking him again. Nick fell onto his back. Spank and Ty started going crazy on your boy… by the time I got out there they were stomping on him and kicking him. I pushed them off of him._

"_What the hell are y'all doing? He's a cop!" I said pushing Spank. I looked down and saw Nick move on to all fours as he spit out blood feeling his muth, I think he cut his lip. "What in the hell is the matter with you guys?" I said, I was so angry, I looked over my shoulder and I saw Nick slowly getting to his feet holding his side._

"_He…" Spank started but I interrupted him._

"_He is a cop! Pack your stuff and get out of here! Both of you!" I yelled pushing Spank and Ty back. They went inside, knowing better then to cross me. I turned back and Nick was gone._

"I fired my guys. I have there address' and phone numbers. I'm on your side. Nick is my friend, too." Drops said handing them the information. "I have nothing to hide, believe it or not... You guys' already have my DNA and fingerprints. What else do you need?"

"We need to talk to Estelle." Brass said, Drops looked apprehensive but nods.

"Follow me…" Drops said as they followed him back out as they heard Estelle singing again. DB and Brass heard Estelle singing as she just about literally sang her heart out. They could feel the pain in her voice as she sang.

"Find light in the beautiful sea. I choose to be happy. You and I, you and I. We're like diamonds in the sky… You're a shooting star I see. A vision of ecstasy. When you hold me, I'm alive. We're like diamonds in the sky… I knew that we'd become one right away. Oh, right away. At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays. I saw the life inside your eyes…" Estelle sings captivating everyone in the room demanding for them to listen to her heart ache. Drops went to who DB and Brass presumed was Estelle's manager and whispered something in his ear. The man turned and looked at Brass.

"Hey, Jim… hold on." The man said shaking Brass' hand.

"So shine bright tonight, you and I. We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky. Eye to eye, so alive. We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky." Estelle sand as she was pleasantly interrupted by her manager.

"DB, we have a problem." Brass said looking just about shell shocked.

"What?" DB asked aware but confused.

"That's the sheriff's husband, and her daughter." Brass said wide eyed as Estelle and him made their way back over.

"Hello my name is Estelle, you want to talk to me?"

"Yes, I'm Captain Brass and this is CSI Russell. Do you know this man?" Brass said showing her a photo of Nick with no inkling that he was a CSI.

"Why, what's going on?" her father said immediately intervening.

"Jeff, why don't you and I talk?" Brass said pulling him away. "Have you ever seen this man before?" Brass asked Jeff shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't say for sure that I have, but I meet lots of people for Estelle and my own career, sometimes their faces merge."

"What do you do?" Brass asked putting Nick's photo in his jacket pocket.

"I'm an entertainment business exec." The man said quiet proud of himself.

"Don't you have another child?" Brass asked and Jeff pulled a photo out of his wallet.

"This is from the last thanksgiving. There's me, Estelle, our son JJ he was home from college, and little Kiki… and you know Sherry." Jeff said.

"How long have you guys been married?" Brass asked nonchalantly looking at the family photo but Jeff took the photo back immediately suspicious.

"25, _happy _years… why all the questions? Is something wrong?" Jeff asked weary.

"We are just asking questions." Brass said trying to keep the situation easy in case it turned.

Meanwhile… DB and Officer Mitch talked with Estelle. Estelle walks away to wipe her face with a towel.

"Do you know him?" DB asked, seeing that Estelle seemed rattled by them being there.

"I can't see for sure. My might be a fan? I don't know, why?" She asked nonchalantly turning around.

"Really?" DB asked looking directly in her eyes. "Are you sure?" Estelle covers her face.

"Is he in trouble?" she asked finally showing genuine emotion knowing she had been caught in a lie.

"You just said you didn't know him, why?" DB said flabbergasted but wanting to know why.

"He asked me too, I swear. Is he alright?" she asked genuinely worried.

"How do you know him?" DB asked ignoring her question.

"I can't tell you… especially here…" she whispered.

"I'll bring you somewhere where you can tell me." DB said motioning for Mitch to take her.

* * *

"Nick, I don't think this is a good idea." Finn said nervous as Nick signed the visitor's log.

"Then, wait in the car." Nick said not even looking up at her. There was no stopping him, this had to be done and Nick wanted to be the one to do it. He didn't care how inappropriate it was or what it did to the case. Finn bit her lip but signed the log.

Finn quickly signed the log and tried to catch up with Nick. She catches up with him as he takes the phone off the set seeing Nigel already there. Nigel looked the same except his hair was longer and combed in the same manner in which Nick had always combed his when it was long enough. His black thick rimmed glasses showing some age as well as the crazy displayed in his face.

"Hello, Nick." Nigel said, his voice sounded echoing and warped like when he had fainted from before, but Nick knew he wasn't going to faint this time. Finn was just about out of ear shot of Nick but she could hear Nigel if she focused. "How have you been?"

"I think you already know Nigel…" Nick said trying to control his anger but all he wanted to do was jump through the glass that divided them and ring Nigel's neck.

"That I do know, and let me just say, Nicholas… I'm not impressed." Nigel said sighing, showing a great deal of disappointment.

"Don't call me that. Who is after me, I know you know?" Nick said angry.

"Don't try and blame this on me. This is your fault, not mine." Nigel said almost offended, but then smirks at Nick. Nick just looks at Nigel with a confused yet anger look on his face. "You haven't learned a damn thing? You are just as rude as I left you. We haven't seen each other in over ten years and this how you treat me. I don't even get a hello?" Nigel said offended and Nick thought his brain exploded he couldn't even see straight.

"Are you kidding me?! You are sick! You stalked me!" Nick shouted into the headset having a white knuckle death grip as he anger had taken a hold of him.

"Secrets put strains on the soul, and you should have known better." Nigel said and Nick thought he was going to lose his mind.

"Tell him to calm down or I'm throwing him out of here." The correctional officer warned Finn. Finn felt helpless, because she knew Nick wouldn't listen to her. She saw the other correctional officers looking at Nick ready to pounce like a lion on a gazelle.

"Okay, okay." Finn said trying to hold the lions at bay. She turned and put her hand on Nick's back, feeling his tension. "Nick…" she said feeling him stiffen up as his face went deadpanned and he looked at Nigel as if he was a ghost. She saw Nigel whisper something but she didn't hear but it spooked Nick to the core. Nick exploded from the chair in hopes to get his hands on Nigel but the officers grabbed him.

The officers take Nick out and Finn looks up at Nigel who seemed very pleased with himself. Nigel looked up at her and smiled her. His smile was scary, and gave Finn goose bumps. She had dealt with her fair share of serial killers, and she had no doubt in her mind that Nigel was involved. He was already several steps ahead of them and made her fearful.

"What'd you say to him?" Finn asked picking up the handset.

"Guard!" Nigel said as the officer picked him up and the pair left. Finn chased after Nick wondering what happened and what Nigel had said to cause such an explosive reaction. She knew that Nigel knew whatever Nick was trying to hide from her and the team.

* * *

The team is zeroing on who they think will hold the key to Nick's survival? Nigel knows the secret, does that frighten you? What did he say to Nick to upset him? Who's Estelle? The first song that Estelle was singing was Sweet Nothing by Calvin Harris and Florence Welsh and the second was Diamond by Rihanna. What do you think? Please Review!

Did you get the reference with the chapter title? Don't get cable...


	6. Closer

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review!

Ch6: Closer

* * *

DB is upset while he paced around the lab in search of Nick and the others. He couldn't believe they had just left, but he had gotten some phone calls and was able to form an idea to where they had been. He knew that they had comeback and were just been dodging him. He stopped Greg in the hall, and figured they should update each other.

"Sam threw up a chunk of Sqweegel. The DNA was degraded but Henry was able to recover enough to run it through CODIS and there were no hits, same goes for the hair that Morgan recovered in Nick's car and bathroom." Greg said handing DB the report, only for DB to hand it back.

"Have Henry run it for a maternity match against Sheriff Liston?" DB asked and Greg looked confused.

"You think Nick is messing around with the sheriff's daughter?" Greg asked surprised but not to surprised.

"Make sure those results are top priority and keep me updated." DB said stern. Greg nodded catching the seriousness in his voice.

"Okay, have you seen Nick, Morgan or Finn?" DB asks as Greg looks at his own report.

"Morgan is in the garage, I think. Finn is in the observation room looking over Nick's clothes I think she is either looking for you or avoiding you, and if Nick isn't in Catherine's office… he maybe on the roof. I'm going to the sex shop and see if he's heard anything new from our friend Sqweegel."

"Keep me updated." DB ordered.

Meanwhile… Mandy goes to the roof and sees Nick sitting on the ground as he threw a weathered tennis ball for Sam. They immediately made eye contact as Nick pulled his eyes away as Sam came back over. Nick pulled the ball from his mouth as he petted his head and threw the ball again.

"I never realized what a big dog Sam was." Mandy said smiling at Nick. She could see the physical exhaustion in his muscle as well as the emotional fatigue in his face.

"They send you up here to make me talk?" Nick says struggling to get to his feet.

"No… the fact that you almost died in my lab room made me come up here. I just wanted to make sure you are alright." Mandy said causing Nick to chuckle.

"I'm fine." Nick said looking at her. Mandy rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms. "What do you want me to say?" Nick said slightly frustrated with his friend. Nick turned and tried to turn and leave but Mandy stopped him.

"You know, I don't believe that." She said ignoring his grimace.

"I'm sorry…" Nick said almost sounding defeated.

"What secret is worth being killed over?" Mandy said looking right in his eyes as he searched everywhere but her eyes. She sees his eyes get glassy as he fought tears.

"Don't… don't remember me like that or by whatever comes out afterwards…" Nick stutters not believing that he was really saying these words and by the look on Mandy's face her couldn't believe it either.

"What are you saying Nick? Let us help you, please…" Mandy cried.

"I can't tell you guys… especially you. I'm sorry…" Nick whispered, she shakes her head and turns to leave. Nick tries to hold her back but she was able to break free due to his weak and fatigued arms. "I'm sorry, Mandy but please don't remember me like this, I'd rather you guys to just remember me as a hardheaded idiot, then anything you find out afterwards."

"And you think you can just decide that for us?! You can't just walk into our lives and then decide to leave abruptly without letting us help you. Your selfish man and that's how we will remember you… This is no time to be self conscious or embarrassed. You've always helped any of us out please let us return the favor."

"It's not the same thing, Mandy."

"Nick, this man is going to kill you. Do you realize that? He's already gotten you once he can and will get you again, and all those close calls you have had over the years haven't made you invincible." Mandy argued poking Nick in the chest to emphasize her point. She would probably be the only person outside from Catherine to be able to talk to him like this and he actually take in what she said rather than just shut down. They were best friends inside and outside of work, and nothing more but they didn't need anything more from each other. That's why it killed Mandy to see him this way.

"I don't know what to say… other than I'm sorry. I'm stuck, right now, Mandy." Nick argued back. He saw DB coming from afar but didn't care. "There is no clear way out! There is no easy thing to do, I promise! And it's not this simple! He's doing this on purpose!" Nick yelled back feeling like he was going to lose his best friend if he wasn't honest. "I don't know what else to tell…"

"Nick…" DB said, he originally came up here angry. DB knew that Nick had gone to see Nigel and as much as he was angry he was disappointed because Nick showed his hand to Nigel. Showed that Nigel still greatly haunted him, and that was exactly what Nick wanted to hear. However hearing Nick plea and argue with Mandy seemingly changed his mind… briefly. "Nick, I need you to come with me." DB said putting his hand on Nick's shoulder as him and Mandy stared blankly and sadly at one another. Nick slowly nodded as he handed the tennis ball to Mandy.

As Nick followed DB she couldn't realize how mentally spent he already looks and physically tired as was everyone. DB stops Nick in the stairwell hoping that the privacy would make Nick open up.

"Nick, you're going to feel better if you talk about…" DB said but Nick didn't make eye contact.

"If it was that simple I already would have. Do you have something to show me?" Nick said motioning to the folder in DB's hand.

"Do you recognize this woman?" DB asked showing Nick a photo of Estelle.

A tidal wave of both emotions and memories hit Nick. He hears her laugh in his head, he remembers the sweet smell of her perfume when he would hug her, and could almost feel her soft skin under his tingly palms. Before Nick knew it he felt a small smile spread across his lips as he continued to study the picture.

"Her name is Estelle, she's a singer at a club I use to go to." Nick said wiping the smile from his face. Nick tries to hand the photo back to DB, but DB turns and continues on his way with Nick following him. They go to interrogation and DB holds the door open for Nick to one of the observation rooms that overlook the interrogation. Nick slowly walked in and immediately looked towards the one way glass and saw Estelle in there talking with Brass and Sara. Nick was shocked but also upset to see her sitting there. Estelle didn't look happy to be there at all, she looked very displeased and Nick knew from past experiences that this wouldn't be good. DB leant over and turned on the sound.

"What was your real relationship with Nick?" Brass asked, but Estelle remained quiet as she picked her nails frustrated. "What was your relationship with Nick?" Brass asked again as he slid a picture of Nick across the table to her.

"He's as cute as a button and hung like a horse. Does that answer your question?" Estelle asked as Brass and Sara both turn red, but no one turned more than Nick as he felt his boss' eye stare into the side of his face.

DB turns off the sound at a total and utter loss of what to say. As his son would say _Eww… Dad total TMI…_ DB was still unsure what that exactly meant but Charlie often said it in times of over share. DB took a deep breath as he prepared to ask Nick a question but was interrupted by the sheriff as she came in.

"This is all your fault! You're a pig, my daughter is more than ten years younger than you!" she yelled continuing to yell at Nick. She pushed him as her anger reached its peak seeing Nick ignore her.

"You know damn well this isn't **just **my fault!" Nick yelled as DB tried to step in between them, but the sheriff pushed him again.

"don't you dare threaten me!" the sheriff yelled, DB saw Nick's nostrils flare up as anger and his rage took control of his entire body. Nick made fists and then turned and left. DB immediately followed him even though the sheriff tried to stop him.

"Nick, what is going on?" DB asked hoping that Nick would finally say, if it had to do with the sheriff maybe Nick would say what it is out of spite. DB wasn't going to stop asking until Nick would open up.

"You want to know what is going on?!" Nick asked still incredibly angry as he walked back towards DB. DB thought for a brief moment that Nick was going to make him regret his question. "Look at the sheriff." Nick said pointing at the sheriff as he clinched his jaw shut walking away. He sees Mandy follow him and walks back towards the sheriff, but was flagged down by Finn.

"I found something that you are going to want to see." Finn says as he came in the room that she was at. "The only person that came to see Nigel Crane was a person named _Ian Moone,_ however I remember Greg saying that that was an alias. So I went over the old case file trying to see what Nigel and _Ian Moone_ have in common. When Nigel was booked he kept repeating the phrase I am on who am I? And _Ian Moone _is a word jumble that spells out I am no one. Nigel knows who Sqweegel is, and whatever Nick's skeleton in the closet is, too. He really spooked Nick." Finn said handing DB all her findings.

"What were you thinking letting Nick go down there, Jules? Have you lost your mind?" DB scolded.

"There was no stopping him. He was either going with me or without me." Finn defended crossing her arms. "I figured that if I went with him I'd at least be able to see if he knew anything… and he does. That's what scares me." Finn says disappointed.

"Me too." DB said softly releasing a deep breath. "I'll get Nigel transferred here. Good work, Jules."

* * *

What do you think? As the team gets closer to Nick's secret will Nick give in and tell them? What do you think is going to happen next? Please Review!


	7. Misery Loves Company

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review! This chapter is intense so make sure you are mentally prepared!

Ch7: Misery Loves Company

* * *

Mandy sees Nick sitting in the locker room as he hangs up his cell phone. His face blank and emotionless, he was like a man she has never seen before. Depressed wasn't even the word to describe what she was looking at. It was the shell of her best friend. His smile that could usually light up a room on the darkest day hidden in a frown. Mandy doesn't speak but just sits next to him knowing that he should be alone to sulk. Nick doesn't even notice her right away, but when he does he tries to speak to her but she interrupts him.

"We don't have to talk about it… I just didn't want you to be alone." Mandy says putting her hand or his shoulder. Nick shakes his head as tears fall from eyes he immediately rests his head in his hands he cried. Mandy just hugs whispering that it will be okay, hoping that she wasn't lying.

"I'm sorry…" Nick said as he slightly pulled away wiping his eyes. "There's too much to tell…" Nick said shaking his head as he turned to face Mandy. "I thought I was doing the right thing…" Nick chuckled wiping his eyes. They sit in silence.

"Is this about the sheriff's daughter?" Mandy asked softly, and Nick finally nodded yes to her.

"I can't have you judge me. I don't want you to think that I'm so kind of…" he trailed off but Mandy was able to pick up what he meant.

"Nothing could ever erase the great memories I have of you. Nothing will ever change." Mandy reassured him. Nick felt relieved as he smiled slightly at her. As Nick searched to find out where he should begin, Hodges came in.

"Hey gang…" Hodges said until he felt the tension in the room. Nick felt his guard go back up even though he wanted to fight against, he couldn't help himself. Nick brushed over his pants and left pushing past Hodges.

Meanwhile… Brass and Sara were still trying to talk to Estelle really getting nowhere. However the stoic expression on her face really confused them, they couldn't tell if she was scared or stubborn but her attitude was very similar to Nick. However when the sheriff came bursting in definitely made Estelle be and stay quiet.

"Shut up, Estelle! They are trying to trick you." The sheriff said, looking at Brass and Sara with a flame of anger in her eyes.

"Sheriff, I assure you we are just talking to her I swear. She came in willingly…" Brass started but was interrupted by the sheriff waving her hand as she pulled out her phone.

"This interview is over. I'm calling you a lawyer." The sheriff said looking at her annoyed daughter. Brass and Sara looked at each other more confused than they thought they have ever been, but just then Officer Mitch knocked on the door with a woman following him. Brass waved him in, and Brass recognized the woman as a lawyer that they had run ins with. She was a particular shark and very well trained.

"Miss Taylor, what do we owe this pleasure too?" Brass asked as the sheriff looked very confused as she hung up her phone.

"I'm going to need to speak with my client… alone." Ms. Taylor said looking at the sheriff as she stood behind Estelle.

"who hired you?" the sheriff asked just as confused as everyone else in the room.

"I'm doing this probono for a friend…" Miss Taylor said.

"Stokes…" the sheriff said upset but in shock.

"stop, I don't need a lawyer!" Estelle yelled standing.

"Estelle!" the sheriff yelled but Estelle interrupted her.

"you get my mom to leave. I will tell you everything." Estelle said looking at Brass and Sara, as serious as ever.

"okay…" Brass said, escorting a disgruntled sheriff out shutting the door and blinds. Brass turned and joined the tabled and crossed his hands and looked at Estelle. Her mood and facial expression had totally changed. She looked totally scared and ashamed, and ready to breakdown at any given moment.

The sheriff turned as frustrated as can be as she marched in the observation room. She saw Nick in there with DB which only made her frustration worsen seeing him in there.

"What is he doing here?" she asked, Nick just rolled his eyes and looked back towards the room waiting to hear what Estelle was going to say.

"you two are going to act civil with one another or I will throw you both out of here… am I understood?" DB said sternly, as much as they wanted to argue and rip each other to shreds, they needed to hear what Estelle say.

"yes…" they said in unison, looking through the glass.

"I'm sorry; I haven't been honest with you…" Estelle said her voice shaky. Her lawyer put a comforting hand on her back.

"let's just start from the beginning." Brass said softly and comforting. Estelle knocked wiping her eyes with a tissue.

"okay… one night, he came to see me perform. There was just something about him that was so alluring, I had to go and see. We went to dinner and walked the strip together… he was the perfect gentleman." She said chuckling a little remembering the fond memory.

"how long were you guys together?" Sara asked.

"a few months… four or five months I think…" Estelle said smiling but then frowned.

"why did it end?" Sara whispered looking at the young woman. The question seemed to really pluck at a heart string. She covered her eyes and cried.

In the observation room, Nick was in a similar state as he walked away from the glass. He felt like his body was in shock as he felt his back bump into the wall. He knew that what she was going to say was going to was going to hurt all over again.

"A few weeks before we broke up I found out I was… pregnant…" she said wiping her eyes. "we started having problems…" she said still looking down at the table.

"why?" Sara asked. In the observation room, DB turned and looked back at Nick who just stared sadly at the floor while the sheriff stared intently at the interrogation. It was obvious the sheriff was less than pleased to find out that her daughter was pregnant, but didn't look to shock.

"I thought my mom found out… among other things." Estelle said plainly looking at both of them.

"you were hiding it from her?" Brass asked handing her tissues.

"yes, we had to. She's always had this hold over my life. _Do this… Do that… Go here… Study this…_ you should have seen her face when I decided to drop out from school, to sing." Estelle said growing slightly frustrated thinking of all the tyrant things her mother has done over the years.

"what made you think your mother knew?" Brass asked again.

"she started talking about him, randomly…" she said confused. "she wasn't saying the nicest things either. I asked him if he was causing trouble or if he told my mom and that's how most of our arguments started. He would ask me why I cared so much about what he did at work, and I would accuse him of being too defensive and being stubborn… it was a viscous cycle."

"did you ever tell Nick about this?" Sara asked.

"no, never…" Estelle said quiet confidently. In the observation room, DB turned back and saw Nick look up and stare daggers at the sheriff. It was obvious to him that Nick didn't know, and was now eager to hear what else Estelle had to say. "I tried to ignore it. I really did but I knew I was acting different and started pushing him away, which just led to more fights."

"what about the baby?" Sara asked, and Estelle started crying again. She just broke down into sobs before them.

"please, stop!" Nick shouted still inside the observation room but he wasn't heard in interrogation. "please, leave her alone! Let her go! I'll tell you everything, I promise!" Nick cried out, begging DB. The sheriff looked away from the glass to see Nick distraught.

"everything?" DB asked but Estelle carried on from inside.

"I had an abortion!" she shouted through her sobs. Nick immediately stopped and turned to look at the room, as if saying never mind. "I lied to him… I told him that I had a miscarriage. Everything just seemed to fall apart at the same time… I knew we were headed to disaster so I lied and told him thought I had lost the baby. We hadn't seen each other in days… and he didn't even bat an eye…" she cried wiping her eyes. "a few days later… out of blue he called and dumped me…" she said as she broke down.

"why did you have an abortion?" Brass asked, he didn't know why but he felt compelled to ask. He knew Nick would have stepped up regardless if she and he were together or not, he would have been a great father. Estelle opened her mouth but didn't say anything and just broke down in sobs.

"oh my god…" Nick said walking away from the mirror as he rubbed his face and head in distress.

"Nick…" DB said trying to get Nick to come down.

"oh my god… I can't believe this…" Nick said trying to leave the room, but the sheriff blocked him and slapped him across the face as a tear fell from her eye.

"this is all your fault!" the sheriff said as she pushed and slapped him as he turned away in attempts to try and get away. DB separated the two of them as Officer Mitch came into and pulled the sheriff away. Nick's rage however engulfed him as DB tried to hold him back.

"you know that's not true! It's your fault!" Nick said as DB tried to get him out of the observation room and away from the sheriff. But she followed him.

"My fault?!" she yelled getting away from officer Mitch.

"yes, and you know this is! Wait til the truth comes out…" Nick shouted as DB pushed him into his office.

Once in the office Nick pushed away and began to pace around like a mad man. He couldn't believe that Estelle had lied to him. he was dumbstruck, hurt, and anger all together. DB knew better then to ask Nick anything when he was like this so he just waited. Eventually Nick's pace began to slow even though his mind still raced like a crazy.

"I swear the only thing I was trying to do was protect Estelle…" Nick said as he sat down feeling defeated. He felt like he was sticking his neck out for the same people who were holding the sword. "I can't believe she lied to me…" Nick whispered to himself as he shook his head.

"Why?"

"Because I know this will destroy her…" Nick said burying his face in his hands.

* * *

Sorry I just had to create a little more angst before I tell you. What do you think? The next chapter reveals all! Please Review


	8. Strained Secrets

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review! Thanks for all the reviews!

Ch8: Strained Secrets

* * *

Finn and Greg sat across from Nigel, as he nervously fidgeted in his handcuffs and chains. Finn knew that Greg wanted to ring Nigel's neck, the usual mild mannered Greg was obviously mad.

"How's my friend Nick?" Nigel asked folding his hands together looking at Greg seeing him get agitated.

"We know, you know who is behind this? Who hurt Nick…" Finn said but was interrupted by an angry Greg.

"Tell us!" Greg said slamming his fists in the table.

"Where's the fun in that? I thought I was helping you guys…" Nigel chuckled as he continued to fidget. "_Those in the public eye should be held to a higher standard." _Nigel said in a southern accent looking at them. Greg felt shivers go up his spine, remembering Nick say those exact words years earlier.

"Nick's words…" Greg whispered to Finn feeling like he was in shellshock.

"I just want to talk to him… I bet he is feeling quiet down in the dumps, right about now…" Nigel said sitting back.

* * *

Meanwhile… Nick wipes his face upset, trying to overcome the waves of nervous nausea that hit him. These people that he thought of like a family were going to not trust him and alienate him just like his real family. Its takes a lifetime to build a reputation and only a moment to ruin it.

"I'm so embarrassed… and ashamed…" Nick said rubbing his face. DB nodded finally feeling like they were getting somewhere.

"Nick, you need to put everything aside and think about yourself, and your safety because the people you are trying to protect aren't." DB said and Nick nodded.

"You're right… you're right…" Nick nodded as he fought tears. "I'm going to get sick…" Nick said abruptly leaving running to the bathroom. DB followed him hearing Nick get sick in one of the stalls.

"Everyone out." DB ordered everyone out as Nick stumbled out of the stall rinsing his face. He stumbled back and slid down the wall.

"I'm so sorry…" Nick mumbled as he rubbed his face.

"Let's just start at the beginning."

"You can't tell anyone. I'm so serious, DB."

"I'll use discretion…" DB said and Nick knew that that was going to be the best it would get. "Let's just start at the beginning…"

_I was at that stupid mandatory campaign dinner sitting at the bar drinking. Estelle started texting me and we were arguing, which we had just seem to be doing a lot of especially lately. I was started to think that the sheriff knew that maybe Estelle had said something or left something out in the open and her mom saw it. At the dinner I felt like the sheriff was following me around from a far, I caught her stares a couple times. It was just really weird, and Estelle wasn't making it any easier. Then she came and sat next to me just to confirm my worst fears._

"_I know about you and my daughter…" She said while ordering another drink. I was shell shocked I didn't know what to do or say, I was caught or rather we were caught except I was in her crosshairs. I just stared at my drink, I was already feeling quiet buzzed, and thought no need to make a bad situation worse. "You're a disgusting pig… my daughter is twenty six…"_

"_Actually… she's twenty seven… we just celebrated her birthday…" I said smiling, don't ask me why but it was probably cause I had a few beers before this and they were started to kick in. I immediately regretted my words as she leaned closer to me I could feel how angry she was and I knew if we were in any other spot, she probably would have killed me._

"_I can't technically fire you over this but I will look through your file and that of the team and believe me I will find something." She threatened, and she got my attention. I was cornered, I didn't know what to do. "Good… I got your attention, if you want to keep your job and your so called misfit team together… you will break up with my daughter." I wiped my face, you have to believe me that I didn't know what to do. "…right now!"_

_She had got me, I was drunk, emotionally drained with all the problems here at the lab and Estelle. After she told me she lost the baby, she just kept pushing and pushing me away. I wanted to be there for, I tried to be there for her, I really did but she didn't want me too. We were headed for disaster or breakup anyway… so I gave in and called her. It was the hardest phone call that I've ever made. Once I hung up the phone she smiled at me._

"_Good work, if you ever go by my family again. I will make this job I living hell and break up your team faster than you could ever realize." She whispered in my ear leaving. I don't really remember too much after that except sulking my sorrows at the bar._

"I was really upset. It just seemed like everything had fallen apart around the same time… I woke up the next morning in her bed, which sealed my fate in scumbag-ville," he said, he wasn't sure how he felt telling DB there was no telling if this even took the target off Nick's back. However DB knew Nick was being genuine but still didn't understand.

"Who's bed?" DB asked.

"The sheriff's…" Nick said deeply ashamed, refusing to make eye contact with DB. He could feel the disappointment in his eyes.

"Did you… did you have sex with her?" DB asked almost fearing the answer.

"I don't know…" Nick rubbing his faces showing his anxiety. "I don't remember and I usually remember stuff like that. I hope I didn't but when I woke up she was pushing me out of her bed, telling me that I had to leave because her husband was home… I really don't think I did though and I'm really not just saying that. There's no way I wanted you guys or Estelle or anyone to find out… I'm sorry…" Nick said hiding his face he was officially spent. He was an emotional rag doll.

"Wow…" DB said trying to take in everything. Nick had been pressured to break up with his girlfriend from her mother and his boss, he had been lied to by that girlfriend, threatened into not speaking, and possibility slept with his boss.

"I thought that this was going to be forgotten. I hadn't talked to Estelle in like three months until I went to the club the night I got attacked. I subconsciously knew that there was going to be trouble after Morgan and I rescued that little boy… I just thought I'd have more time…" Nick said disappointed.

"You still didn't hesitate to go and get him." DB said reassuring him.

"What kind of man would I have been if I let that little boy drown because I wanted to try and save myself?" Nick asked with an extra conviction in his voice. Nick grabbed his head as he took a deep breath and slowly looked back up at DB. "So, what happens now?" Nick asked looking at DB.

"I… I don't know… but we are going to catch this guy." DB said trying to match Nick's conviction.

"I would have taken care of her and the baby, I was so excited and happy when she told me." Nick said quietly looking at the wall as a tear rolled freely down his cheek. He was still in shock, almost denial. "She says I didn't bat an eye when she told me, but inside I felt helpless and devastated. I didn't know how to react… I don't know why she did that…" Nick said covering his face as he finally broke down.

* * *

What did you think? Sometimes the fear of what could have been or what might of happened, can scare us more than what actually did happened. How do you feel about the sheriff's action? or Estelle's? or Nick's? Does Nick still have a reason to stay at the lab now that the secret is out? Will his worst fears come to reality?


	9. Escape

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review! Thanks for all the reviews! Sorry, for the wait hopefully this makes up for it. Enjoy!

Ch9: Escape

* * *

DB slowly sits down across Nigel. Nigel looks slightly disappointed that it wasn't Nick joining him but Nigel could settle for a new face to talk to, besides they did have something in common. Nicholas Parker Stokes. DB folded his hands over his folder and looked at Nigel.

"I don't believe we've met, I'm Nigel." Nigel said trying to extend his hand the best he could so DB would shake it but had trouble due to the fact that his hands were cuffed to the table.

"I'm DB Russell."

"Where's Nick? He's the one I want to talk to." Nigel said, but DB shook his head and started reading the contents inside the folder.

"He doesn't want to talk to you." DB said, Nigel pouted.

"Whatcha reading?"

"Nick's statement… he held out for awhile." DB still reading it intently.

"What makes you think he told you the truth?" Nigel said nervously fidgeting around in his seat.

"I trust him."

"Have you ever had a secret that you could absolutely couldn't tell anyone?" Nigel asked, DB paused for a moment and placed the folder down hiding the contents.

"Hmmm… I can't say that I have." DB said thinking briefly before answering.

"Sometimes, some secrets are best kept but… _if your dirty and decide to bask in the glory of those who aren't you are at a higher fault than anyone else_… when Nick would have me check his email. He wrote that to one of his friends back in Dallas." Nigel said again mimicking Nick's soft southern accent.

"But if they confess shouldn't they be forgiven?" DB asked making a face at Nigel who just shook his head.

"this isn't the Vatican… the public isn't as forgiving as a father and neither am I. Mr. Russell, that's like someone saying I apologize rather than I'm sorry… it lacks emotion. **Bottom line, it's not genuine and it shouldn't be accepted."** Nigel said poking the table to send DB his message. DB got the message and didn't like it and got a bad feeling deep inside and knew he had to find Nick.

Moments before… Nick felt like everyone was staring at him with judgmental and distrusting eyes. Nick ran his hands over his face and through his hair several times. He was at his breaking pointing… no he was past it. Nick looked up and saw how his friends and coworkers looked at him like a stranger. He needed to get away and at this point he didn't care what happened to him… he had to escape these stares. He knew that if Sqweegel wanted to get him that there was nothing he could do about it, the ball was in Sqweegel's court. Nick confessed and his worst fears were unfolding in front of his eyes.

Nick whistles for Sam to follow him as Nick left the Jericho walls of Catherine's old office. Nick felt like he was in a fog as he walked trying to find the least busy exit. Mandy looks up and sees Nick leaving and takes off her gloves trying to follow him. Nick turns the corner of the hallway and sees Estelle on the other side. They immediately make eye contact, she was with her lawyer, and her father but neither of them cared.

Nick and Estelle embraced missing each other greatly but as soon as they remembered the good times the bad flooded back like a tsunami. Estelle pulled Nick into a fiery kiss as if asking for forgiveness and telling him how much she missed him. However she wasn't met by the response she was hoping for. Nick pulled away and took her hands away.

"I'm sorry…" Nick whispered trying not to let his emotions get the best of him. The next thing Nick knew he felt someone hit him in the face and he was looking up at the ceiling. He heard Sam growl but luckily grabbed his collar before he tore Estelle's father to shreds. Nick tells the dog to sit as he struggled to get to his feet ignoring and pushing away Estelle's help. He saw the uniforms struggling against some uniforms. "Its fine… its fine… let him go…" Nick said and the uniforms did just that and Estelle immediately hugged her father. Nick motioned for Sam to follow him as he left defeated.

DB leaves the interrogation room just as everything had settled down but the shockwaves still bounced throughout the lab and PD. DB's first mission was to find Nick, but when he turned he saw Brass practically sprinting. His face red and the expression on his face that of pure confusion and shock.

"Russell… Russell… all hell has broken loose." Brass said still confused.

"Have you seen Nick? Wait… what do you mean what happened?" DB asked trying to register and understand why Brass was the way he was acting.

"The sheriff just resigned… I mean just resigned. Ecklie texted me, he's pissed and on his way down. Her husband just slugged Nick… this place is in all chaos." Brass said putting his hands on his hips as he still wrapped his brain around all that happen. DB took a brief moment too take in everything but remembered his task at hand.

"Have you seen Nick? I think Sqweegel is going to go after Nick regardless of everything that has happened. The way that Nigel was talking Nick is still very much in danger." DB said as the duo walked to Catherine's office. They both were upset to see it empty. Brass immediately called for a uniform to go to Nick's house, while DB stopped Hodges seeing Estelle just out of earshot.

"Hey boss, what's up?" Hodges asked immediately noticing DB's certain mood change.

"Have you seen Nick, Hodges?" DB asked agitated and concerned. This was no time for games.

"Yeah, when I was coming back from my lunch. I saw him and Mandy arguing kind of." Hodges said.

"What do you mean _kind of_?" Brass asked getting off the radio.

"When I pulled in they were arguing and Nick stormed off in a cab and Mandy followed him in her car." Hodges said, as DB and Brass took off downstairs. "Hey, did the sheriff really resign I saw it on the news?" Hodges yelled but got no answer.

* * *

Where's Nick? Is he still in danger? What do you think about the sheriff? How'd you like Nick and Estelle meeting? Please Review! What do you think?


	10. Confession

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review!

Ch10: Confession

* * *

Nick hums as he walks home. He had abandoned his truck at the lab and didn't want to pay for another cab especially because he knew the team was looking for him. Nick couldn't face them. Nick had given Sam to Mandy to watch for the night he claimed even though it could be his last. Nick shook that thought from his head and the fact that his brain was lightly swimming in some whiskey helped ease that thought from his head. Nick held the brown bag of liquor close to his side as he knew he was getting close to his house.

As Nick got closer to his house he saw a patrol car out in front of his house but he was too far away to make out any of the details of the faces of whoever was inside. Nick knew they were waiting for him but he didn't care, he wasn't going back to the lab. Like all good Stokes' man, he was going to go home and drink.

_Tough. Be tough_. His drunken thoughts told him, those are the same thoughts that told him it would be a good idea to fight two officers for a beer. He could almost hear his father whispering those words in his ear, which only fueled him to drink more, and be angry. After Nick's father past, his mother would say that the only thing the Stokes' men do is drink themselves to death and maybe that's where he was headed. Nick shrugged at the thought.

However the next thing he knew he heard and saw the sirens of the patrol car coming towards him. He looked away trying to use his hat and coat to conceal his identity. He started to think of what to say to the officers but the car whizzed right past him. Nick smirked to himself almost in shock that they drove past him.

Nick unlocked his door and went in and put his bag on the couch as he got a glass. Nick smiled to himself. Nick took out his backup gun from the end table by the door. He sat down on the sofa and poured himself a thirsty cup of whiskey.

"I told…" Nick said loudly to his awaiting attacker assuming that Sqweegel was hiding in the attic. Nick unloaded his weapon assuming that the bullets had already been switched out.

"I told… they know now. My friends and coworkers that I've known for years will never look at me the same way again." Nick said taking out his knife stabbing it into the table.

"My friends, Mandy will never be able to trust me… and the messed up part is I really cared for Estelle. She wasn't some hook up that you are trying to make her seem like… but she's better off without me." Nick said but before he could get emotional he nursed his drink.

"Please, just wait for this to really take effect before you do… what you do…" Nick said quietly defeated.

Nick scratched his head as he refilled his glass. Glass after glass, until Nick could barely read the label anymore he scratched his head again feeling the alcohol get a hold of him in the best and most powerful way. Nick looked at the once full bottle that had a quarter left of the dark amber liquid. Nick slid his glass off the short coffee table and grabbed the bottle by its neck as he sat back. His vision started to blur and his eyelids became heavy and he drifted off into an alcohol induced slumber.

_Nick and Estelle fell into a giggling and laughing mess on the floor. Estelle had her head on his shoulder laughing. Nick watched her laugh, loving her smile and her little silly giggle. Their legs in opposite directions so that they are looking at each other upside down. Her giggles are suppressed into a beautiful smile._

"_Does it bother you that I'm 15 years older than you?" Nick asked seeing her face change. He was notorious for ruining sweet moments like this or just creating awkward moments._

"_No… does it bother you?" she said back as she played with his hair._

"_No… but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't sometimes a little weird."_

"_I mean I guess you're right, but just because other people may think it's weird too, but I am happy with you." She said smiling softly again._

"_Me too…" Nick said smiling._

"_You know…" Estelle said seductively moving to get on top of him. "My dad has been trying to figure out who's been making me so happy. I wouldn't tell him though." She said and Nick smiled as he held her hands._

"_What are __**we**__ going to do when your parents find out?" Nick asked, Estelle shrugs._

"_I'm not sure. I'm not too worried about you meeting my father. I think you'd guys get along, but my mom…" she grimaced and Nick chuckled._

"_No offense, but out of the pair. I'm more scared of your mother." Nick chuckled._

"_My mom and me, we've always had a strange relationship…"_

"_You guys' don't get along?" Nick asked slightly sad that Estelle and her mother didn't get along._

"_No, my mom is a little spiteful and vindictive. My mom has always been the 'problem solver' or at least she thinks she is… she has never liked anyone I've dated and the fact that you work for her, really hurt your chances." Estelle says and Nick chuckles._

"_Well…" Nick says sitting up pulling Estelle closer. "You're worth it." Nick said softly kissing her gently. Estelle smiled against the kiss holding Nick closer._

Nick felt someone tug on the back of his hair causing his head to snap back, he sees Sqweegel's different colored eyes as he raises his smooth blade. Nick immediately throws his hands up trying to knock the blade away but just feeling the blade cut into his palm. Sqweegel stumbles and Nick falls off the couch still feeling the effects of the alcohol in his system as his brain was swimming. Nick tried to get away when he felt Sqweegel's blade cut his back.

"Ahh…" Nick groaned as he winced in pain. He stumbled against the door feeling Sqweegel make another cut. Nick turned and swung at Sqweegel but missed. Nick tried to push Sqweegel away but felt another sharp stab in his arm. Nick yelled in pain. Sqweegel tried to make another deadly swipe with the smooth blade but Nick ducked and lazily tackled him over, Nick tried to slam Sqweegel into oblivion but Sqweegel squirmed and Nick was still drunk and in pain.

Nick tries to pull away but Sqweegel holds him close not letting him get away. Nick tried to then to punch Sqweegel and scratch his eyes out but Sqweegel was cutting him and reopening the sutured cuts. Nick was blinded by a set of headlights and saw that someone was pulling into his driveway. Help was here, now he just had to get there.

The blood that was flowing freely from his arm had provided a little lubrication and Nick slammed Sqweegel down and was able to pull himself away. However by doing this he left his neck completely exposed. Sqweegel made a swipe and Nick tried to lean back and felt the blade cut into his neck. Nick felt a deep sense of fear and panic in his stomach as he freed his arms.

Nick tries to apply pressure to his neck but the blood was flowing out and tried to get to the door hearing whoever was there coming closer. They needed to stay away or else they'd be in danger too, Nick thought. Nick slipped in his own blood and stumbled falling in front of his bookshelf. He was too lightheaded and tired to move but knew he had to stay awake. He stared at the door just waiting he didn't know what to think, he felt he was as good as dead. The door swung open and he heard Sam's growl as Sam took off looking for Sqweegel.

"Nick?!" Mandy yelled immediately running towards Nick. Nick struggled to stay conscious. Mandy looked at her friend scared seeing him covered in blood as he tried to put pressure on his neck wound but the blood flowed freely between his fumbling fingers. Mandy took off her shirt and cradled his head like she had done when he passed out in her lab. She used her shirt to apply pressure as Nick tried to speak.

"He's still here, you gotta go… I'm sorry…" Nick said thinking that any breath could be his last.

"Just stay with me, okay. Stay awake. Help is on its way." Mandy said as Nick continued to squirm in pain. "Nick, stay awake…"

"I'm sorry…" Nick mumbled, and Mandy could see the color in Nick's face drain away.

"You have nothing to be sorry for…" Mandy whispered to him. She looked at the door and scanned the room. There was suppose to be a patrol car at Nick's house so when Mandy didn't see one she called DB and Brass and told them something was wrong. They were on their way, she hoped that they wouldn't be too late. Mandy looked up again and saw a stone faced frightened Estelle at the door.

"Nick…" Estelle whispered in utter shock.

"Call for help!" Mandy yelled feeling like she was losing him. She didn't want to lose her best friend but she felt totally helpless. Estelle took out her phone but her hands shook too much. Estelle slowly walked to Nick as he struggled to stay conscious feeling very light headed and faint.

"Estelle…" Nick panted Estelle dropped the phone and went to his side. "I… I slept with your mother… the night we broke up… I'm sorry…" Nick said softly but Estelle's face went to pure disgust and she felt unbelievably betrayed by a man she thought she loved did this to her.

"What?" Estelle cried.

"I'm sorry…" Nick said but Estelle left sobbing, while Mandy just looked at Nick surprised.

"Hey…" Mandy yelled but luckily she saw DB and Brass run in. DB went to their aid while Brass ran towards Sam and his new toy. Nick starts fading in and out of consciousness as his body goes limp. He mumbles apologies over and over again.

"Nick, I need you to stay awake the medics are almost here." DB said grabbing Nick's face giving it a little shake.

"I'm sorry…" Nick said passing out.

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Oh no! Nick is in trouble. How do you like Nick's confession to Estelle? What do you think is going to happen next? The next chapter is the last one! Please Review!


	11. Hot n' Cold

I Shot the Sheriff

Disclaimer: Don't own CSI.

Please Review!

Ch11: Hot n' Cold

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Nick opened his eyes seeing two blurred figures at the end of his bed. He heard beeping and assumed it was an EKG. He couldn't move, his body was so sore and weak. He closed his eyes because he was beyond exhausted… he started to hear warped voices and the more he listened the more clear the voices became. Nick tried to lift his head but couldn't his skin was sore, his head rested on its left side. Nick managed to open his eyes a little.

"Where… am I?" Nick asked fighting dry mouth. Nick scrunched his face feeling the oxygen tube at his nose. Once Nick's vision cleared he saw his friend at his bed side. He looked down and the two blurry people he now recognized as DB and he assumed his doctor.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" DB asked standing at the foot of his bed.

"Terrible… what happened?"

Earlier… as the medics and nurses pushed Nick's stretcher into the trauma room as Nick started to receive a blood transfusion. Anytime Nick became even a little conscious he fought the nurses and medics scared and thinking he was still being attacked. Finn snuck in trying to get all and any bit of evidence off of Nick that she could.

"Tell her…" Nick stuttered grabbing Finn's vest. She was surprised at how it seemed like all the other voices in the room seemed to fade out as Nick demanded her attention. "Tell her… I'm… I'm sorry…" Nick said falling unconscious again.

"We have to get him to the OR. His jugular is completely severed and the carotid might be damaged. We gotta move, his BP is dropping. We need more O neg. Let's go!" the doctor yelled, a nurse pushed Finn out as they left for the emergency OR.

"How is he?" DB asked worried. Finn looked at his blood soaked clothes and then looked at Mandy whose clothes were equally soaked but she looked broken and Finn knew DB was very close to the same emotional feeling.

"Umm… it doesn't look good, DB." Finn said trying to fight her own emotions. DB looked shell shocked as Finn padded her arm leaving. "I'm going to bring these to the lab." Finn said disappointed.

DB looked at the team and everyone's face looked the same he didn't know what to do or to say. Everyone was scared and no words could make the fright go away unless Nick was the one to say them. DB sees Mandy she was definitely still in shock and then there was Estelle on the other side of the waiting room. She looked heartbroken and yet disgusted at the same time. Her mind was racing as she heard Nick's confession over and over again in her head and it didn't stop as DB sat next to her.

"How are you feeling?" DB asked swallowing hard.

"He… ahhh… he said he slept with my mother."

"I know." DB said looking forward.

"You know he said that or that he did that?" Estelle asked angry as she wiped away a tear.

"Umm… both? That's why this man came after Nick, we think. Nick, wasn't sure if he…" DB started but Estelle interrupted him.

"Slept with my mom?! That's such a cop out! How is he not sure?!"

"He said he drank too and…"

"Estelle!" the former sheriff yelled, and the waiting room went to a standstill. No one spoke fearing to be on the wrong end of her wrath.

"I have nothing to say to you…" Estelle said disgusted as tears ran down her face. Her mother made a face and grabbed her arm.

"We are leaving." The sheriff said, and Estelle pulled her arm away.

"He told me about… about you two…" Estelle said disgusted, her mother as well as her father's face both changed. Her father looked at her mother heartbroken. "I always remember you saying what a dirty disgusting man he was… so what does that make you?!" Estelle asked pushing her mother away.

"What is she talking about Sherry?" Her father asked upset and heartbroken, but the sheriff just put her hand in his face.

"You knew this whole time how I felt about him and you told me to get the abortion…" Estelle sobbed. "You said it would mess everything up, and that Nick was having an affair with someone he worked with. You said all these lies for what so you could have him? I believed you! Now I don't know what to believe…" Estelle said crying.

Mandy felt her blood start to boil. Her best friend was in the next room dying and these two women that turned his life upside down and backwards only thought about themselves right now. She knew that Nick wasn't innocent but he certainly wasn't the only person to blame either.

"Sherry… please tell me she is mistaken or lying… say it isn't true…" her husband cried heartbroken.

"No, no… don't try and sit here and act like Mr. Right. I know all about your little special assistants. So don't act like that!" the sheriff yelled at her husband. "And for you," she said turning her attention to her stubborn daughter. "Those weren't lies… and I never slept with him."

"No, mom he told me. He wouldn't lie, especially then… he was bleeding, he wouldn't have lied! So, please don't treat me like I'm stupid."

"I had to show you what kind of man he really is! We didn't even sleep together…" the sheriff says waving her off. "He had been drinking and passed out before we even did anything. I wanted him to think we did something so he would stay away from you." The sheriff said and Mandy stormed off before she fought these dumb ladies.

"Oh my god, Sherry…" her husband cried walking away. Estelle, she looked at her mother heartbroken and feeling very confused. She didn't know if she should be relieved that her mother didn't but manipulated him.

"I can't believe you…" Estelle said leaving for the restroom.

Present time… Nick fluttered his eyes open again. He couldn't believe how tired he felt, it seemed like every time he closed and open his eyes hours had passed.

"Where am I?" he asked once again. DB opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Finn calling his cell phone so he left.

"You are at Desert Palms." Mandy asked leaning closer to him. Once she was closer Nick could finally recognize her as if she came through the fog. "how do you feel?" she asked Nick lived up his hands and his arms were covered in gauze, he tried to lift up his head but felt a terrible pain in his neck and Mandy put her hands on his shoulders trying to relax him.

"Oh…" Nick said his face turning a deep red.

"Easy there, big guy. You have 26 stitches in your neck alone." She said easing him back.

"He didn't get you?" Nick asked sleepy.

"No… he didn't. Sam got him before he could." Mandy said smiling a little.

"How is he?"

"He's with Melinda and little Trevor. He was disappointed when they took away his chew toy."

"Did he kill him?" Nick asked very sleepy.

"Yeah…" Mandy said taking a deep breath reflecting on the seriousness of the situation. "By the time he let go. Sqweegel had lost too much blood." Mandy said and Nick nodded. Nick turned his head and saw Estelle standing in the doorway.

"Estelle…" Nick whispered seeing her at the doorway, he was at a complete lost for words. He just remembered her running out and leaving him there to die.

"I'll give you guys a minute." Mandy said leaving but sitting on the bench outside.

"Estelle…" Nick called out again and she walked up to him. He couldn't read her and that's what scared him. Estelle walked by his bedside and slapped him in the face. Mandy sprang from her seat and DB ran to the doorway but Nick held up a hand telling them to stop.

"She says that she didn't sleep with you." Estelle said wiping her eyes. They start to argue and everyone was able to officially witness the turmoil and bad blood that their relationship had brought them.

"Will you let me speak please!" Nick begged, hoping she would let him say his side of the story. She stopped and crossed her arms.

"At the campaign dinner she hosted. She told me I had to break up with you…"

"And you did?"

"She told you to get an abortion!" Nick shouted equally angry. Estelle went to leave but Nick grabbed her hand but was unable to hold on to it. However she did stop. "I'm sorry…" he said.

"Just… just tell me what happened?" Estelle said not wanting to hear too much from him. Nick nodded.

"I started drinking and I must have blacked out because the next thing I know it was morning and she was pushing me out of her bed saying that your dad was home. I don't remember doing… or you know but I can't think of any other reason id be in her bed and I know sorry can't make up for what I did but I just thought that you needed to know." Nick said he didn't know if she'd forgive him and he wasn't really expecting her to but she needed to know the truth.

"She says that she wanted you to think that you did. She says you passed out before you did anything." Estelle said, and Nick released a big sigh of relief.

"I knew it." Nick said to himself.

"Goodbye Nick." Estelle said, Nick felt his eyes well up as he tried to prevent tears.

"Estelle, you are going to make it big someday. You are the best singer I've ever heard… Stay humble, I look forward to buying your music off iTunes." Nick said smiling a little. They had always joked about iTunes, because Nick said he'd just illegally download her music or if she'd give him a discount. The gesture was nice, and brought a smile to her face. She was leaving this time but she wasn't running away she was moving towards her goal.

"Feel better, Nick." Estelle said squeezing his hand before leaving. Nick released a sigh and looked up but soon drifted back off to sleep.

"What was Nigel Crane's connection to Sqweegel?" Mandy asked DB as she moved back to Nick's bedside.

"Sqweegel's, real name is Michael Dean. He was a college student studying forensic psychology and he was writing his thesis on stalking and started interviewing Nigel Crane. Dean became obsessed and thus Sqweegel was born." DB said looking down as Nick slept.

"Where does that leave Nick?" Mandy asked.

"Well, once he's medically and psychologically cleared I don't see a reason why he can't return to the lab. He didn't do anything wrong from a protocol standpoint. He could've been more helpful but he didn't lie and obstruct our case. It's up to him…" DB said looking down at Nick as his eyes fluttered back open.

"If you'll have me, I'd love to stay?" Nick said sleepy.

"Good, so you better pull through because if you don't come back I'm pretty sure if you don't the team will start a mutiny." DB chuckled and Nick smirked.

"Thanks for being there guys. I know I've been a pain." Nick said and Mandy squeezed his hand.

"Well, next time I'd rather you just come and tell us rather than us having to come and talk to you in a hospital bed." DB said.

"Fair enough." Nick smirked as his eyelids started to fall but didn't.

"Team is here to see you." DB said to wave them in. this moment reminded Nick of when he was shot and the team was there to greet him after his surgery. It really was a family moment. Unfortunately there was always going to be another crazed killer and this probably wouldn't be the last time Nick would be in a hospital bed. However he'd deal with that when it came and he would now just enjoy this moment with his family.

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I hope you enjoyed it! I had alot of fun writing it, I hope that it doesn't sound crazy. I love Nick 3! Please Review and tell me what you thought!

P.S. My next story with be Nick/Mandy and Sara/Grissom piece so be on the look out.


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